Toto Wolff: Kimi Antonelli will play a part in Mercedes' future

This update comes amidst ongoing speculation about who will step into Lewis Hamilton's shoes following his departure from Mercedes.

The F1 world was taken aback earlier this year by the news of Hamilton's move to Ferrari for the upcoming season, marking the end of his lengthy tenure with Mercedes.

The team has since been evaluating various candidates to partner with current driver George Russell.

Among the contenders is Mercedes' promising young talent, 17-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli has made waves in motorsport circles, showcasing impressive performances in karting and clinching championships such as the Italian and ADAC F4 titles in 2022, followed by victories in the Formula Regional European and Middle East series last year.

During discussions at the Canadian Grand Prix, Wolff hinted at Antonelli's potential as a future driver for Mercedes and addressed questions regarding Carlos Sainz, who has also been linked to the team in recent months.

"I think first of all, Carlos deserves a top seat," Wolff told Sky Sports F1.

"But for us, we've embarked on a route now to say, 'You know what, we want to reinvent ourselves a little bit, going forward.' Kimi Antonelli definitely plays a part in that.

"We haven't taken a decision yet for next year, but we didn't want to have Carlos wait as well, because he needs to take the decisions for himself - that's just fair. But he's doing a super job."